Interstate Roads and Highways

Eyre Highway, Nullarbort Plain: SA, WA

Driving across the Nullarbor Plain is for many the quintessential experience of the Australian Outback. It is the ultimate Australian Road Trip and one every Australian should do at least once in their lifetime. It travels along one of the safest outback roads in Australia, with accommodation, cafes and vehicle repair facilities at regular intervals along the way.

The Explorer’s Way follows the route of John McDouall Stuart, a famous Australian explorer who was the first to traverse the continent in 1862. This drive, along the Stuart Highway, connects Australia’s south and north, from Adelaide in South Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory, and takes in many of Australia’s best-known icons, including the Flinders Ranges, Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers Rock) (as a detour), Kakadu National Park (detour) and Darwin.

One of Australia’s ultimate adventure drives, The Savannah Way traverses the top end of Australia, linking Cairns in Tropical North Queensland with the historic pearling town of Broome in Western Australia, via the natural wonders of Australia’s far north. Some sections of the road are suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles only, but others are sealed, making it possible for anyone with a motor vehicle to complete sections of the drive.

A great alternative to the boring Hume Highway, this touring route is perfect for travellers between Sydney and Melbourne who have a little time up their sleeve to detour via the Snowy Mountains (it only adds 65 km to the journey). Coming from Melbourne, you take the Beechworth exit and literally head for the hills. The journey takes in the historic goldmining town of Beechworth; through “Man From Snowy River” country (Towong, Corryong), past the Kosciuszko Main Range and the towns of Tumbarumba and Khancoban; dams and power stations of the Snowy Mountains Scheme; the apple growing town of Batlow; before rejoining the highway at Gundagai.

The Pacific Coast begins at Cape Howe, which marks the eastern extremity of the state border of Victoria and New South Wales, and extends to the northern tip of Australia – Cape York in far North Queensland. It was along this coast that Lieut. James Cook travelled on his epic voyage of exploration in 1770, mapping as he went and documenting for the first time the country that became known as Australia. This drive mirrors his journey, though Cook saw it all from a different perspective – he traversed the coast by sea.

The Northern Rivers and Gold Coast Hinterland region of Australia is referred to by vulcanologists as the Tweed Volcano Group. It is a reference to the now extinct volcano and associated inland landscape complex around the NSW/Qld state border. The volcano’s lava and ash spread covered an area from Byron Bay in the southeast, and Lismore in the southwest, to Mount Tamborine to the north in Qld. The volcano created the magnificent, varied landscape we see today, from towering mountains covered in sub-tropical rainforest, to the gently sloping valleys of the Northern Rivers region.

Recognised as one of the world’s most scenic drives, the Great Ocean Road follows the stunning coastline of Victoria’s south-west. Stretching from Torquay, just south of Geelong, to Allansford, east of Warrnambool, the road winds along cliff tops beside breathtaking headlands, down onto the edge of beaches, across river estuaries and through rainforests, offering ever-changing panoramic views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean. If you driving between Melbourne and Adelaide, it is definitely the long way but well worth the extra time because of the stunning scenery.

The drive from Perth and Darwin, of which Great Northern Highway forms the major part, is the longest capital city to capital city drive in Australia. At 4,042 km it is 100 km more than Perth to Sydney; 1,200 km more than Melbourne to Cairns; 1,015 km more than Adelaide to Darwin; 1620 km more than Darwin to Brisbane. A sealed road from start to finish, it passes through some of the most isolated areas on the Australian continent – if not on the planet – and only two towns along the way have a polulation of over 4,000 people – Newman and Port Hedland. After the drive from east to west across the Nullarbor Plain, it is without the question Australia’s ultimate road trip, taking in every kind of terrain, landscape and vista that Australia has to offer.

This is a great 2WD bitumen North-South route through central Queensland passing several places of historical significance and some great outback pubs. This fully sealed 1812 kilometre highway stretches from the New South Wales border all the way to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Matilda Highway affords the unique opportunity to see ‘real outback’ and its friendly characters, unique attractions and unspoiled natural sites.